ITP - 014: Living in Japan 14 Years

Greg: This episode of the International Teacher Podcast—Matt, the family guy, is out fishing—but I have the opportunity to talk with Tom, who has been living in Japan for the last 14 years. Even though he's from Nebraska, you’ll hear a little bit about life in Japan and what it’s like teaching there.

Greg: Welcome to the International Teacher Podcast with your host Greg, the single guy, and Matt, the family guy. We’re recording episodes from around the globe to tell you about the best-kept secret in education. That’s right, it’s teaching overseas. We’re glad to have you.

Greg: All right, so welcome to this episode. I’m speaking with Tom Johnson III. He’s from Nebraska. Tom, how are you?

Tom: Fantastic. Good to be here.

Greg: You were one of our listeners—one of our few listeners in the beginning of our show, it sounds like.

Tom: Yeah, absolutely. Love it.

Greg: You’re currently in Japan, and you have a little bit different story than those of us that are international teachers in traditional schools, because you’re doing adult education. But before we get into that, Tom, can you tell us a little bit about what led you overseas? A lot of our listeners are in the States as well as overseas, so tell us about your path to Japan.

Tom: Sure. So I never really traveled anywhere growing up with my parents. I think the farthest I went was from Nebraska to Des Moines, Iowa—a two-hour drive.

Tom: My wife is Japanese, and she was an exchange student at my university. We met, and it was basically love at first sight. We knew she was going back in three months, so we thought we’d just enjoy the time. But I proposed to her about six weeks later. It was a whirlwind.

Tom: At that point, I didn’t know anything about Japan. I knew Tokyo and Godzilla—that was about it. After I graduated, I got a job on the JET Program, which is the official English teaching program in Japan, and I moved over here through that.

Greg: I’ve heard of the JET Program. Let’s go back for a second. She was an exchange student at your university—had she been to the States before?

Tom: I think once, back in junior high. She went to Oregon for some kind of homestay experience.

Greg: That’s interesting. When I was 17, I went to Germany for a year. I went from Wisconsin to a much bigger environment, so I can relate a little bit. But she went from Japan, which is dense and populated, to Nebraska.

Greg: That must have been a huge shift. And then you flipped that experience—going from Nebraska to Japan. Sounds like you stuck with it. You didn’t just love your wife—you ended up loving Japan too.

Tom: It was kind of a love-hate relationship at first. When I was younger, I didn’t realize how immature I was. There were times I was frustrated with everything—little things like customs taking forever or not understanding how things worked.

Tom: There’s that honeymoon phase when you first move abroad. Everything is new and exciting. Then that wears off, and suddenly all the small problems start piling up.

Tom: I had to grow up pretty quickly and learn how to deal with those things.

Greg: We used to call that getting “pecked to death by ducks.” All those little problems hit you at once. If you don’t deal with them, they build up until you feel like you need to get out.

Greg: Things like not understanding the language, not knowing how to do simple tasks—everything becomes harder. But you stayed. You worked through that phase.

Tom: Yeah. Over time, you adapt. You figure things out, and it becomes normal.

Greg: So after that initial adjustment period, what kept you there? Fourteen years is a long time.

Tom: A few things. First, my wife’s family is here, so that’s a big part of it. But beyond that, I started to build a life. I made friends, learned the systems, and got more comfortable with the culture.

Tom: Work played a big role too. I started on the JET Program, which places you in public schools. I was working with younger students at first, mostly focused on conversational English.

Tom: Over time, I realized I wanted something different. I enjoyed teaching, but I wanted more control over how I taught and who I was teaching.

Greg: So that’s when you shifted into adult education?

Tom: Exactly. I moved into teaching adults—business professionals, people preparing for interviews, presentations, things like that.

Tom: It’s a different environment. The students are motivated because they need English for their careers. They’re not there because they have to be.

Greg: That probably changes the dynamic quite a bit.

Tom: It does. You don’t have to manage behavior in the same way. Instead, you’re helping them solve real-world problems—how to communicate in meetings, how to present ideas clearly. It feels more practical.

Greg: Do you find that more rewarding than working with younger students?

Tom: In a lot of ways, yes. With adults, you can see immediate results. They apply what they learn right away.

Tom: But there are challenges too. Adults have habits, and sometimes those are harder to change than with younger learners.

Greg: What about daily life in Japan? What were some of the biggest adjustments outside of work?

Tom: Language was the biggest one. Even basic tasks—going to the bank, dealing with paperwork, reading signs—everything takes more effort when you don’t fully understand the language.

Tom: Over time, I learned enough to get by, but it took years to feel comfortable.

Tom: Another adjustment was just how things are done. Japan is very structured. There are expectations for behavior, for how you interact with people, even for things like trash and recycling.

Tom: At first, it feels overwhelming. But once you understand the system, it actually makes life easier.

Greg: I’ve heard that from a lot of people. It’s strict, but it works.

Tom: Exactly.

Greg: What about cost of living? People hear Japan and think it’s incredibly expensive.

Tom: It can be, depending on where you live and your lifestyle. Tokyo is expensive, but there are plenty of other places that are more affordable.

Tom: I’ve managed to live comfortably. You just have to be smart about your spending.

Greg: What do you enjoy most about living there now?

Tom: The convenience. Everything is efficient—transportation, services, day-to-day life. It’s easy to get around and access what you need.

Tom: And the safety. It’s one of the safest places I’ve ever lived. There’s also a sense of order. Things are predictable, and that can be really comforting once you’re used to it.

Greg: Sounds like you’ve found a good rhythm there.

Tom: Yeah, I have.

Greg: For someone considering Japan, what advice would you give them?

Tom: Be prepared for the adjustment period. It’s not easy at first, especially if you don’t speak the language. Be patient with yourself. You’re going to make mistakes.

Tom: Try to learn as much of the language as you can before you go. Even basic communication helps a lot.

Tom: And be open-minded. Things are done differently. If you resist that, you’ll struggle. If you accept that you’re the one who needs to adapt, it becomes a much better experience.

Greg: What about long-term? Do you see yourself staying in Japan?

Tom: At this point, yes. We’ve built a life here. My wife’s family is here, and this is home now.

Tom: I don’t rule out moving somewhere else someday, but right now, this is where we are.

Greg: A lot of international teachers move every few years. You’ve taken a different path.

Tom: Yeah, and that’s the thing—there’s no one right way to do it. Some people move every two years, some stay longer. It depends on what you want.

Greg: That’s something people don’t always realize. There’s flexibility in this lifestyle.

Greg: All right, we’re going to wrap this one up. Tom, thank you so much for coming on and sharing your story.

Tom: Thanks for having me.

Greg: This is Greg, the single guy, signing off from the International Teacher Podcast. We’ll see you next time.